Clothes wringer



March 25, 1941. T. J. LlTLE, JR

CLOTHES WRINGER Filed July 26, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l INYENTUR v ww TTU'R HEY Marah 25, 1941. T. J. LlTLE, JR

CLOTHES WBINGER Filed July 26, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEHT UR ATT URNEYll] z9 BY Patented Mar. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOTHESWRINGER Application July 26-, 1937, Serial No. 155,664

9' Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in clothes wringersto be used preferably in connection with washing machines.

An object of my invention is to provide a simplified wringerconstruction wherein means are provided for automatically latching thetopbar or upper frame to the lower wringer frame during the operation ofrestoring pressure between the rolls.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in a clothes wringerwherein the wringer rolls are normally spring held in pressureengagement, a top bar pivoted to the wringer assembly in such mannerthat the latch, which normally retains the spring in effectivecondition, is automatically engaged by the weight of the top bar,

without exerting manual pressure on the top of the bar, during theoperation of restoring pressure between the rolls.

A further object of my invention is to provide, in a clothes wringer,means for readily varying the pressure between the rolls, said meansbeing readily accessible for adjustment, and means for indicating thepressure between the rolls, said rolls the weight of the upper frameelement causes automatic engagement of the latch 'between the lowerframe element and the upper frame element, and further, the'provision ofa spring for aiding the effect of gravity on said upper frame element.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be more apparent fromthe following description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure '1 is a front elevation -of a clothes wring 1 er embodying thenovel' features of my invention and showing the clothes wringer mountedadjacent the side of the vat of a washing machine. Figure 2 is a viewtaken on the line 2-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view taken on the line 33 of FigureZ showing: the meansfor adjusting the.

spring pressure between-the rolls.

Figure 4 is a view taken on the line 44 of Figure 6 is a view taken onthe line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7' is a view taken on the line l'! of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a view taken on the line 88 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 indicating the rolls in theirdropped position.

Figure 10 is a view showing the latch between the major portion of thewringer frame and the wringer head or top bar of the frame.

Figure 11 is a View similar to that of Figure 1 showing the position ofthe top bar when pressure between the rolls has been released.

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 11 showing the wringer rolls intheir dropped position with the top bar latched to the major portion ofthe wringer frame.

The clothes wringer of my invention, generally indicated by-the numeralII, is supported on a tubular housing [2 concentric with and throughwhich the drive shaft l3 extends. The shaft I3 is preferably driven fromthe motor of the washing machine. The tubular housing l2 may besupported at its lower end and may, in

addition, be supported by a bracket l4 tied to the side walls Hi of thewashing machine vat. A boss 11, integral with the wringer gear casingl8, has a bore for receiving the tubular housing and the lower end ofthe boss rests on a flange l9 formed near the top of the tubular housingI2. A hand-set plunger 2| registerable with any one of a series ofapertures 22 formed in the upper end of the tubular housing l2, enablesthe wringer as a whole to be swung around the housing as an' axis andset in. any desired position as is common practice in the art. The shaftl3 extends into the gear casing and is suitably journaled therein.

The wringer gear casing l8, as shown in Figure 7,'h0uses a'pair of bevelgears 23 which are loose on the shaft 13. The bevel gears 23, as iscommon practice in the art, mesh with a bevel gear 24 which, 7 throughsuitable connections presently described, drives the shaft 26 of thelower wringer roll 21. A reversing clutch 28, fixed but slidab-le alongthe shaft and suitably connected to ahandle 29 by which it may beoperated, enables-either of the bevel gears 23 to be to the couplingpart 3|, extends.

driven from the shaft I3 to cause the roll 21 to be driven in onedirection or the other. The bevel gear 24 is integrally connected to onepart 3| of a coupling member. The other part 32 of the coupling memberhas a U-shaped slot in the end thereof through which a pin 33, connectedThe coupling part 32 lies loosely in the coupling part 3| so as topermit some movement of the coupling part 32 with respect to the part3|. The end of the shaft 26 has a pin 34. The end of the coupling part32 has a slot into which the pin 34 loosely fits. A driving connectionis thus provided between the shaft I3 and the shaft 26 of the roll 21.

A bearing 36 for the shaft 26 is pivoted at 31 in the wringer frame 38which supports the wringer rolls. The opposite end of the shaft 26 issupported in a bearing 39 mounted on a plate 4| extending between thesides of the wringer frame 38. One pair of links 42 of a toggle isconnected at 43 to the plate 4| and, at 44, to the other links 46 of thetoggle. A shaft 41 is rigidly connected to the links 46 by flatteningone side of the shaft 41 and conforming the opening through the links 46to the shape of the shaft, as indicated at 48. The links 42 areconnected together by a cross part 49, and the links 46 are connectedtogether by a cross part 5|. A ledge 52 is formed on the cross part 49so that the cross parts will engage each other and limit the movement ofthe toggle in one direction. The outer end of the shaft 41 extendsthrough the wringer frame and is provided with a handle 53 by which theshaft 41 may be rotated to make or break the toggle 42, 46.

The upper roll 54 is driven from the lower roll by the pressure betweenthem and the shaft 56 of the upper roll is supported in bearing blocks51 and 58. The bearing blocks 51 and 58 are freely slidable in guides 59mounted in the wringer frame 38. A pair of slotted links 68 are pivotedto the guides and a pin 6|, extending through the bearing block 58,registers in the slots. The upward movement of the bearing block is thuslimited by the links 68. A bow-shaped spring 63 bears on the top of thebearing blocks, as indicated at 64, and normally holds the rolls inpressure engagement.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the spring 63 has a threaded opening 66 atits center into which is threaded an adjustment screw 61. The end of theadjustment screw has a pin 68 which engages a bracket 69 supported fromthe under side of the upper wall of the top bar 1| of the wringer frame.The end of the adjustment screw 61 is rectangular and is fitted in arectangular opening 12 formed in a fingerwheel 13. A slot 14 is providedin the top bar 1| through which a portion of the circumference of thefinger wheel 13 extends, as indicated at 16. An arm '11, pivoted at 18to the top bar 1| of the wringer frame, has one end provided with a bentforked portion 19 which straddles the spring 63, as shown in Figure 3 at8|. Beyond the pivot 18, the arm 11 extends upward at an angle and isprovided at its end with indicia 82-low, "medium and high--whichindicate low spring pressure, medium spring pressure and high springpresure. The top bar 1| is provided with an opening 83 through which theindicia on the end of the arm 11 may be viewed.

It will now be appreciated that upon rotating the finger wheel 13, theadjustment screw may be threaded into or out of the threaded'opening inthe spring 63 to adjust the pressure of the spring. By reason of thepivotal connection of the arm 11 to the top bar 1|, the outer end of thearm will move in accordance with the spring pressure so that the tensionof the spring, whether high, medium or low, will register in the opening83, as indicated in Figure 1.

The top bar 1| of the wringer frame, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, ispivoted on a pair of lugs 84 at the extreme outer end of the gear casingI8 by means of pivot pins 86. The top bar is U-shaped in cross section,extends across the top of the gear casing I8 and the major portion 38 ofthe wringer frame, and is of sufficient width and length so as to fitdown over the top of the gear casing I8 and the wringer frame portion38.

At its opposite end, the top bar is provided with a latch opening 81.Below the opening 81 the metal of the top bar is bent outward to form acam surface 88 on the inside of the top bar.

A'latch, generally indicated by the numeral 89, more clearly shown inFigure 10, comprises a stop piece 9|, a pivot pin 92 for the stop piece,a latch arm 93 and a latch cam 94. A spring 96, extending around thepivot pin 92, having one end bearing against the stop piece 9| and theother end bearing against the Wringer frame 38, normally urges the latcharm. 93 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 10. Thelatch cam 94 has a cam surface 91 and a cam surface 98. The latch armextends above the latch cam 94 and has a portion 99 bent at right anglesto the arm and an upwardly extending portion I8I. When the top bar 1| isdown in position and pressure is on the rolls, the latch cam 94 lies inthe opening 81 in the top bar.

Means are provided for releasing the latch to enable the top bar of thewringer frame to move upward around its pivot 86. As shown in Figures 1,2, 5 and 6, the release means comprises a pair of release bars I82, oneon each side of the top bar, so that pressure between the rolls may bereleased from either side of the wringer. Since each of the release barsI82 and its associated mechanism is the same, a description of one willsuflice.

The release bar I82 has an inwardly extending portion I83 which, asshown in Figure 5, is sup ported on a pivot pin I84 mounted on a bracketI86 rigidly supported from the top bar 1|. A trip arm I81 is pivoted atI84 to the bracket I86 and is pivoted at I08 to the release bar I82. Aninwardly extending part I89 of the trip arm I81 engages the lower edgeof a latch keeper III. The opposite end of the release bar I82 isprovided with an inwardly extending portion II2 which houses a pin I I3which extends through the wall of the top bar 1|. The inner end of thepin has a pin and washer assembly 4 by which the pin H3 is retained inposition. The end of the pin has a head I I6 for forming a backing for aspring I|1 which normally presses on the release bar so as to retain therelease bar in the position shown in Figure 6. Upon depressing therelease bar I82 against the action of the spring II1, the end I89 of thetrip arm I81 is moved upward around its pivot I84 to move the latchkeeper I II upward, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 5. The twoarms of the latch keeper III extend across the top of the wringer rollsat the sides thereof and the ends thereof are pivoted at I28 to the sidewalls of the top bar. The

- opposite ends of the arms are joined together The cross bar has aforby a cross bar I2I. I wardly extending lug I22 which, as shown inlatch keeper is then supported by the latch 89 until the latch camenters opening li'L'whereupon the latch extension passes outwardlybeyond the lug I22 out of supporting engagementtherewith;

Figure 7, normally'lies on topof thebent portion 99 of the latch arm 93and'retainsi the .latch'in the position shown in Figure 7. V a

When the rolls are in the: position shown in ,1Figure.7 and the operatoris wringing clothes, if

end of the trip arm I01 intoengagement with the latch keeper I] I sothat the lugul22 on the end of the latch keeper H! is raised upwardoutof engagement with the end IOI of latch arm 93.

The full pressure of the spring 63 is. then placed upon the latch cam 94so that the latch is cammed in a clockwise. direction, as: viewed inFigure '7, and thetop bar of'the =wringer frame flies upward. As soon'asthe top .bar'is in its upper position, as shown in Figure 11, the upperroll is free to raiseupward and there is no pressure. between the rolls.As :soon as! the latch cam '94 iso-ut of the opening 81, the spring 96moves the latch arm 93 to the position shown in Figure 10. qWhen'theoperator desires to restore the pressure between the rolls, she movesthe handle 53 from the position shownin Figure '7 to that shown inFigure 12. This breaks the toggle 42, 46 and moves the lower roll downfrom its normal position to the position shown in Figure 9. When thelower roll is lowered, the upper roll follows it and moves to theposition shownin Figure 9, whereupon the top bar .liS free to movedownward under the action of a gravity around the pivot point 86 as acenter."

The weight of the upper frame or top bar is such that when it movesdown,'xthefllatch. .89 is cammed aside until the opening 81registerswith 95. During the initial downward movement of the top bar H,the latch keeper [H will be,

maintained in its lowermost position withw'relatch arm extension [01.xThev outer'end of the As the cam 54 enters opening 81 the latch keeperwill be maintained by the latch 89 ha raised" position so that. whenreleased by the latch-'89- the latch keeper Hi falls down so as to hemthe ".positiOil'ShOWh 'in'Figure'l to retain the latch in latchedcondition. 1

It will, of course, be appreciated'that' considerable force is requiredto cause'the latch cam 94 to engage in theopening 81. This force-issupplied by the weight of the wringer head or top bar 'HQthe efiect ofwhichdsflappreciablyi increased by pivoting it at the extreme end "oi"the gear casing [8, as shown in the drawings.

Moreover, in order to reduce the weight of the the spring H6 shown inFigure '7 is convenient since it may be easily mounted in this positionand a heavy spring is not required to cause automatic latching. Thiseliminates the necessity of the operatorepressing on; tophof thetop barin order 'to latch thertopcbar to the-wringerframe portion 138; Afterthe. top bar is latched in position,-.1-,he handleifi-is'moved from theposition shown -in Figure:.12 to that shown in Figure 7. The. toggle 42,46, during. this movement of the hand lever 1 53, is "brought from theposition shown 'lin Figure 9 to that shown in Figure 8 Where itis pastdead center. and locked. in position-by the engagement of the parts '49and 5|. This movement of the toggleraises the outer endlof the roll 2'!carrying upward with it the upper roll 54 so that the rolls are broughttothe position shown in Figure '7, in which position the rolls are underthe full compression of the spring63'. Y

It will be appreciated that I have provided a simple means of adjustingand indicating the simple'means' forcausing the wringer head tobebrought into operative latching engagement with the wringer frame sothatpressure may be applied between the rolls; apparent that variousmodifications may be made in theform and relation of the parts withoutdeparting from'the spirit of my invention asset forth in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In a clothes wringer of theltype wherein a pair ofv wringer rollsmounted in a wringer frame are normally held in pressure engagement by aspring and wherein a gear casing mounted adjacent the wringer framehouses mechanism for drivingeand. reversing the rolls, a top bar pivotedto said gear casing. at. its. extreme outer end away from the rolls, alatch connected between said wringer frame and said: top bar at theopposite' end of said wringer head, means for releasing said latch toenable said top bar to move'upwa'rd' about its pivot and to enableseparation of the rolls, means'for lowering and raising'said rolls tofirst allow the weight of the top bar to beeffective by virtue of itspivotal connection to cause automatic reengagement of said latch andsubsequently restore the pressure betweenthe rol1s.=:

2. In a'clothes wringer of the type wherein a pair of wringer rollsmounted in a wringer frame are normally held in pressure engagement by aspring and whereinta gear casing mounted adjacent the :wringer framehouses mechanism for drivingand reversing the rolls, a top bar pivotedto" said gear casing at its extreme outer end away-'fromthe rolls, alatchconnected between said wringenframe and saidtop bar at theoppositeend of said top bar, means for releasing said latch to enablesaid top bar to move upward about itsfpivot and to enable separation ofthe rolls. means" for loweringsaid rolls to enable the weight of the topbar to be effective by virtue of its pivotal connection to causeautomatic reengagement of saidlatch, a spring connected between-saidframe and top bar for aiding'the latching movement of the top bar, saidmeans being capable of raising said rolls against the pressure of saidspring to restore the pressure' between the rolls, and additional meansvfor maintaining said last mentioned means in pressure applying relationwith said rolls.

3. In a clothes wringer having a frame provided with a movable top bar,a pair of rolls mounted in said frame at least one of which is movabletoward and from the other, a spring for maintaining said rolls inpressure engagement, means including a latch for releasably maintain- Itwill further be rendering said spring effective, means for releasingsaid latch to permit said top bar to move upward and allow theseparation of the rolls, means rendered effective by the weight of thetop bar during the downward movement thereof to cause automaticengagement of the latch and for actuating the rolls with respect to thespring for restoring pressure between the rolls without exerting manualpressure on top of the top bar, and a spring connected between said topbar and frame for aiding the latching movement of the top bar.

4. In a clothes wringer, a pair of rolls, at least one of which ismovable toward and from the other, a spring for maintaining said rollsin pressure engagement, a wringer frame having upper and lower portions,a latch between said frame portions, said upper portion being pivoted atone side of the wring-er, means for releasing said latch to permit saidupper frame portion to move upward and enable separation of the rolls,means for enabling the weight of the upperframe portion to causeautomatic engagement of the latch during the operation of restoringpressure between the rolls without exerting manual pressure on the upperframe portion, and a spring connected between said upper and lower frameportions for aiding the latching movement of the wringer head.

5. In a clothes wringer, a pair of rolls at least one of which ismovable toward and from the other, supporting means for said rollsincluding two frame elements mounted to have relative movement towardand from each other, a spring carried by one of said frame elements andoperatively connected with a roll for maintaining said rolls in pressureengagement, fastening means connected with one of the frame elements andreleasably engageable with the other frame element for holding saidframe elements against said relative movement and rendering the springefiective, means for actuating the fastening means to release the frameelements from each other and to render the spring ineffective formaintaining the rolls in pressure engagement, manually operated meansconnected with the support for producing movement of the rolls in onedirection relative to the frame elements and to said spring to allowfree relative movement of the frame elements and cause engagement of thefastening means while maintaining the spring ineffective, said manuallyoperated means being capable of producing movement of the rolls in theopposite direction relative to the frame elements and spring to bringsaid rolls in pressure engagement with each other.

6. In a clothes wringer, a pair of rolls at least one of which ismovable toward and from the other, a support for said rolls includingupper and lower frames pivotally connected together, a spring carried bysaid upper frame for maintaining said rolls in pressure engagement,means including a latch for releasably holding the frames ing the topbar in fixed relationto the frame and against relative pivotal movementand rendering said spring effective, means for releasing said latch topermit said upper frame to move upward and enable the separation of therolls, and means for producing movement of the rolls with respect to thelower frame away from and toward the upper frame for enabling the weightof the upper frame to cause automatic en agement of the latch during theoperation of restoring pressure between the rolls without exertingmanual pressure on the top of the upper frame.

7. In a clothes wringer, a pair of rolls at least one of which ismovable toward and from the other, a spring for maintaining said rollsin pressure engagement, a lower wringer frame, an upper wringer frameand a latch between said frames, said upper wringer frame being pivotedat one side of the wringer, means for releasing said latch to permitsaid upper wringer frame to move upward and enable separation of therolls, and means for producing movement of the rolls with respect to thelower frame away from and toward the upper frame for enabling the weightof the upper frame to cause automatic engagement of the latchduring theoperation of restoring pressure between the rolls without exertingmanual pressure on the wringer head.

8. In a clothes wringer wherein a pair of wringer rolls mounted in aframe are normally held in pressure engagement by a spring, a top barpivoted to the wringer frame and a latch between said wringer frame andsaid top bar, means for releasing said latch to allow pivotal movementof the top bar and separation of the rolls, means for lowering saidrolls to enable the weight of the top bar to be effective by virtue ofits pivotal connection to cause automatic reengagement of said latch,said la/tter means being capable of raising said rolls against thepressure of said spring to restore the pressure between the rolls, andadditional means for maintaining said last mentioned means in pressureapplying engagement with said rolls in said raised position. I

9. In a clothes wringer wherein a pair of wringer rolls mounted in asupport are normally held in pressure engagement by a spring,- saidsupport comprising upper and lower frames pivoted together, a latchbetween said wringer frames, means for releasing said latch to enableseparation of the rolls, means for lowering said rolls to enable theweight of the upper frame to beeffective by virtue of its pivotalconnection to cause automatic reengagement of said latch, a springconnected between said upper and lower frames for aiding the latchingmovement of the upper frame, said means being capable of rais- THOMAS J.LITLE, JR.

